


this fear is just an illusion

by citadelofswords



Category: The Room Where It Happened (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, No Spoilers, Other, Pining, Some depictions of violence, i will single-handedly populate the corra/otto tag with silly aus so help me god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 15:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17604260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citadelofswords/pseuds/citadelofswords
Summary: Otto hadn't thought they'd ever have one besides their brother. They'd never put much stock into soulmates anyway, never really believed in all that stuff. They were fine just the way they were.And then... Corra.





	this fear is just an illusion

**Author's Note:**

> i'm goddamn crying about how in love corra and otto are at all times so consider this part one of a series of one-shots i'm going to call "couples who'd burn the world down for each other"
> 
> i'm not fucking kidding
> 
> title from the lost song part 1 by anathema cause i'm predictable

If there is one thing Otto Nakamura knows over everything else, it's that they would burn the entire city of Luume down for Corra Linnen-Zulfura.

They knew this even before the first time they looked up and saw the world awash in color, suddenly; an explosion of sensation that sent them staggering backwards _into_ Corra as they meandered to lunch. But they hadn't — hadn't quite realized that _that_ was what it meant.

"You okay?" Corra had asked, face open and concerned. Otto had gotten completely lost in how the light in her hair made it look more than just white, the subtlety of color underneath it that they'd never seen before, and they'd had a fleeting moment of understanding _why_ people thought it important to find your soulmate before Corra gently shook them. "Hey. Otto. You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No," Otto said, and they'd closed their mouth because their wonder wasn't reflected in Corra's face, and now was not the time to bring it up. "No, I'm good. Sorry. Let's keep going."

Corra had smiled and kept walking, and Otto hadn't been able to stop staring for the entire time they were at coffee and after.

 

* * *

 

Not every soulmate becomes known to any person the same way. Otto's brother had left a mark on them, a dark splash on their wrist from a baby's smack scarred over since his death. It had burned so badly Otto had thought they were going to die, barely able to move from their couch until the pain faded and they knew, they _knew_ , that they were never going to see him again.

They know that some people share dreams with their soulmates and some people have first word tattoos and some people, inexplicably, wake up swapped into the body of their soulmate for a day. Some people's soulmates are unrequited and some people's soulmates are their entire family and some people just don't have soulmates at all.

Otto hadn't thought they'd ever have one besides their brother. They'd never put much stock into soulmates anyway, never really believed in all that stuff. They were fine just the way they were.

And then... Corra.

She was smart and down to earth and so unfailingly optimistic that Otto knew, instantly, that they would do anything to give her the world she wanted. There was no fucking way they were worthy of her but they turned around one day and she'd just wormed herself into every crack in their life, and they saw her smile on that street corner and that was it.

That was it.

 

* * *

 

Otto goes to see Seshmir, a little while after that revelation, and it takes them a couple moments to realize what's different about him, by which point they're staring.

Seshmir, because he's a detective, catches them. "What is it?" He reaches up. "Do I have something on my face?"

"What color..." Otto says, and they know it's fucking rude but _whatever_.

Seshmir blinks. "Blue," he says. "I've always been blue, Otto—,"

"I didn't know."

That shuts Seshmir up, and Otto looks down to the scar on their wrist. They wonder what color that mark was, that's just puckered white now.

"I know now."

 

* * *

 

Tseer has black feathers on his shoulder, a stark difference from the rest of his body. Tessa has curling black tattoos traveling up her neck into her hairline, and maroon knuckles Otto can only assume came from a punch. Orron has nothing visible, but that's meaningless.

Corra makes no indication that she knows anything about how Otto's life is completely new, nor does she say anything about how Otto now just watches her twice as often as they did before.

Now that they can _see_ they just don't want to look away, chest warm, heart fluttering, as Corra talks about work of all goddamn things, hands flying, eyes bright with all the fire she's got burning in her for doing the right thing.

Great Ioun, she's got them thinking in metaphors now. They've got it bad for her.

It’s okay if she doesn’t feel the same way, they think. Just having her in their life is enough, and besides, she probably doesn’t want their mess of a past to be dealing with. They’re a little afraid to tell her about it all, and if they’re maybe lumping the fact that they’re pretty sure they’re in love with her into that, well, no one will ever know.

Seshmir might. But that’s because he’s a good detective. Almost as good, Otto reasons, as they are.

So they and Corra keep going on coffee maybe dates and Otto keeps beating up mobsters and trying, subtly, to pave the way for the city to get a little better, and everything is fine. It’s great.

 

* * *

 

Of course, nothing can stay “fine” and “great” for very long in this city.

 

* * *

  

Otto's teamed up with Seshmir for something that should just be open and shut but then turns into something much worse, and they're sort of an assassin and sort of a cool detective but when they lose Seshmir, well, they're not much against magic.

Whoever it was is after Tessa and they must not be able to find her (somehow) because they keep asking Otto, not so kindly, where she's hiding. And then they stop asking. And then, _and then_ , they tell Otto they have Corra, and every time they resist they'll hurt her.

They're bluffing. And Otto really doesn't know anything. But they hear her scream and that's it, that's it, they're yanking hard at their bonds and spitting curses and the terror is seizing their heart because if she dies because of them, because they were stupid and in love, they're going to tear this entire city apart.

But first, they manage to tear themself free, and the mooks only have a moment to be surprised before Otto’s stuck their own knives in their throats and taken off into the hallway.

“Corra?” they call, and they know that she’s not here, they _know_ she’s safe, but if these assholes really do have her and they left her behind they’re going to… to… to do something _really_ drastic. “ _Corra_!”

But they underestimated mook power and they’ve barely made it down the stairs and to the exit of the building before they’re weakening, coughing on blood, and they’re just leaning against a wall to catch their breath when they hear shouting, and smell magic, and a door bangs open.

Out stumbles Seshmir, with all the force from having cast an Eldritch Blast and the edges of his coat smoking. “Mother—,” Seshmir whirls around. “Otto!”

“ _What?_ ” Otto can hear Corra shriek from inside the room and— it’s like she Misty-Stepped out and she’s _there_ , whole and unhurt and shaking, symbol of Ioun on her forehead glowing so brightly the whole room is lit up.

She looks terrifying. She looks _divine_.

“Otto!” Corra cries, and they’re stumbling forward before they can really think and she’s there to catch them as they fall forward, supporting them. Warmth floods through them immediately and they cringe against the healing magic. “Oh my God— we need to get you out of here— are you _bleeding_?!”

“Maybe?” Otto presses a hand to their side. “Yes?”

Corra’s eyes flash dangerously. “They’re dead,” she snarls, and she shoves Otto back into Seshmir’s hands. “Get them into the van, Seshmir.”

“Aye aye,” Seshmir says, and Otto strains to hear her as she starts spitting curses even as Seshmir starts to lead them away.

The rest of things is a blur— they curl up in a backseat of the van and Seshmir stares at them like he’s unsure what to do until Corra, Tessa, and Tseer return, shoving him into the driver’s seat. “Drive!” Tseer yells, and Corra shoves herself between the gaps in the front seats to tug Otto’s head into her lap.

“Goddamn fucking assholes— Otto, come on, stay awake—,” She cups their cheek in her hand and the symbol of Ioun flares on her forehead. “Come on, fucking work you piece of shit spell!”

Warmth floods over them again. There’s tears smeared with blood on her cheeks— so red, like no other red they’ve seen before— and Otto reaches up to try and rub it away, passing out in the process.

 

When they wake up they're in Corra's apartment, and they don't feel like they're going to bleed out or like they're frozen in terror but they definitely think they've been hit by a truck.

They're just about struggling to sit up when Corra comes in with a pot of tea and she rushes forward, nearly dropping the teapot in an effort to help them. "Are you okay???" she asks, and Otto can't help but stare at her. "Do you need another Cure Wounds, I've got maybe two slots left, I know it wasn’t working great before but—,"

"I'm fine," Otto says, and Corra takes their hands in both of hers. "I'm exhausted, but I-I'm fine."

They're just staring at her, still, because she's the most beautiful person they've ever seen, even with her bright eyes dimmed from exhaustion and pain, and Corra bites her lip before scooping Otto up into the tightest hug they've had in a long, long time.

“Seshmir said you two got separated, and that he couldn’t find you and no one had seen you, and I came right back and when I saw you there was just blood, blood everywhere, I was so afraid you were dying and I don’t have Revivify yet, Otto, you’re not allowed to die on me!”

Otto’s so surprised by this it takes them a long moment to respond to the hug, and when they do Corra just buries her face in their shoulder. “Sorry,” they manage. “I’m sorry, Corra.”

“You’re not— it’s not your fault, just, there was just— and every time I blinked it was like the red of it got brighter and brighter— it was so horrible!”

Otto rubs her back as best they can and leans their head on her shoulder. “I’m okay,” they murmur. “I’m okay, thanks to you.” A thought occurs to them. “Are you okay? You look exhausted, you should get some rest—,”

“We should both get some rest,” Corra says, and she lets go of Otto with one hand to rub her eyes. “Ugh. I have to call out of work tomorrow.”

“Are your friends okay?”

“Yeah, whoever it was who got you were like, low-level mooks. They’re all pretty much trash at everything they do.” Corra settles onto her bed and tugs Otto with her, curling up around them like she’s trying to protect them from the rest of the world.

Like that’s not what they’ve been trying to do for her.

“Corra,” Otto whispers.

“Mm?”

Otto takes a deep breath. Lets it out. “I thought they were hurting you.”

Corra doesn’t say anything, just tightens her arms a little bit around them. They can’t meet her eyes, choosing to stare at some point down at nothing. There’s still abrasions on their wrists from the bindings and they itch to touch them.

“They made me think they were hurting you and all I could— all I could think was to protect you. All I want is for you to be safe.”

Corra’s quiet for a moment, and then Otto feels something brush against the top of their head, and something else curl around their ankles. “Sleep,” Corra murmurs, and it’s not a Command but Otto doesn’t ignore her anyway.

 

Corra makes them both breakfast in the morning, pancakes she’s flipping onto a plate when Otto stumbles out of her room. They try to beeline for the coffee but it’s already been made. “I took care of it,” Corra says. “Make yourself comfortable.”

So they do, with their coffee in a chipped mug with a poorly painted dragon on the side, and they watch Corra as she finishes the pancake making, tail swishing back and forth behind her and hair curling messy around her shoulders.

When she turns around she pauses for a moment like it’s the first time she’s seeing them, and then she places the plate down and slides into her own chair.

It’s domestic, and lovely, how easy it is to share breakfast with her like Otto hadn’t been kidnapped and tortured for several days, and Otto’s in the middle of wishing this could be forever when Corra clears her throat and says, “If they had killed you, those assholes yesterday? If they had killed you I would have killed them.”

Otto startles, nearly dropping their fork, because Corra, a pacifist, saying that, even metaphorically, is _a lot_. “You— what?”

“You’re not the only one who wants to protect the person they care about,” Corra says, and her mouth twists into a wry smile. “Otto— when I saw you standing in the hallway the first thing I saw was red.”

Otto— thinks that may be metaphorical too, but then again, the first thing they saw when their world burst into technicolor was the gold of Corra’s eyes. “You saw…”

“Your blood,” Corra said, and her gaze flickered down and back up, and Otto is _dizzy_. “I didn’t realize until I saw you how I— I can’t lose you. And all I saw was red.”

Otto drops their fork.

Corra looks down at her plate.

It's just how soulmates work, they guess. You don't get to know until you _know_.

“Corra,” they manage, and they slide off their chair so they can get closer, wrap their arms around her neck and hold on. Her hands come up immediately, gripping hard at the back of their shirt like she's afraid they're going to disappear.

“Your eyes are so pretty," they mumble into her shoulder. "In case you didn't know.”

Corra laughs a little. “I like your hair." She touches it gently. “It's really cool."

Otto laughs. “I like you,” they say, and then, "You're my fucking soulmate.”

“That's really cool, too,” Corra says, and her smile is dazzling. Yeah. Otto would burn the whole city down to see that smile every day.

 

(They're halfway through breakfast— Otto still with a big dumb smile on their face— when Corra gasps and says "Oh! I didn't say— I like you too!”

Yeah. Rest of their life, for sure.)

**Author's Note:**

> emilee i hope i did them justice, danielle and dora both said it was good so i hope they're right lmao
> 
> i also do trwih drabbles over on [dreamwidth](http://paradoxicalrenegade.dreamwidth.org) @ paradoxicalrenegade if you would like to take a gander and you can find me on twitter and tumblr @ citadelofswords


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